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Concern has been expressed over Indiana University's proposed $15 million sale. Funding for a new residence hall is coming from the sale of a painting by Georgia O'Keeffe.
Art museum representatives and the university's former art department head have both spoken out against the proposed sale.
In order to raise money for much-needed renovations, a small Indiana university has decided to sell some artwork, including a painting by Georgia O'Keeffe. Many in the academic and museum worlds are opposed to this plan.
About 3,000 students at Valparaiso University, a private institution located 40 miles southeast of Chicago, announced this week that the university intends to sell Georgia O'Keeffe's 1930 painting Rust Red Hills to fund the renovation of first-year residence halls. According to The Torch, Valparaiso University could get as much as $15 million for the painting.
Also up for grabs are Frederic Church's Mountain Landscape (circa 1849) and Childe Hassam's The Silver Vale and the Golden Gate (1914), each of which was estimated to be worth between $2 and $3.5 million before the university decided to sell them. The university's art museum, the Brauer Museum of Art, houses all three paintings.
A residential complex would be built out of the current freshman dorms at the university. According to Valparaiso, this project will raise the school's budget and make life better for freshmen. The changes, as reported by The Torch, would bring amenities that students are looking for.
We intend to finance this initiative in the same way we fund the rest of our strategic plan. We will examine assets and resources that aren't central to our educational mission and strategic plan and re-allocate them to help with the plan," university president José Padilla wrote in an email to the entire campus this week.
Former Valparaiso art department head and museum founder Dick Brauer told the Chicago Tribune that he would remove his name from the building if a sale were to go through. Both he and John Ruff, a Valparaiso University English professor and senior research fellow, told the Tribune that selling the artwork would be illegal because of the trust that was used to acquire it. They also mentioned that the bylaws of the museum association prohibit using deaccession monies for anything other than the acquisition of new works for the collection and the upkeep of existing ones.
The Torch reports that in October, Padilla received approval from Valparaiso's board of directors to sell the paintings, and that officials from Christie's and Sotheby's have visited the Brauer to inspect the pieces.
In a statement issued on Thursday, February 9, the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD), the Association of Academic Museums and Galleries (AAMG), and the Association of Art Museum Curators (AAMC) all condemned Valparaiso's plans to sell the three paintings.
University art museums have a history of collecting, curating, and educating in a way that is as financially and ethically responsible as the world's most prestigious institutions, the organisations said in a statement. A university cannot use the fact that a campus museum is a component of the greater ecosystem of its parent educational institution as a justification for behaving unethically or for treating the museum's collections as expendable financial assets, even though they are a part of that ecosystem.
In 2020, as museums struggled to maintain financial viability during lockdowns, the AAMD revised its deaccessioning policies in response to the Covid-19 conference. Two years ago, the organization declared it would not penalize museums that used art sale proceeds to "directly care for collections" rather than to fund new acquisitions.
However, prominent deaccessions continued to infuriate the public during that time. In order to earn $65 million for things like employee pay rises and diversity programs, the Baltimore Museum of Art plans to auction three works, including an Andy Warhol, in October 2020. The museum's strategy at the time was in accordance with AAMD guidelines, but as the story spread, board members resigned and the industry pushed back. The artworks were pulled from the auction block only hours before it was scheduled to begin.
Earlier this year, it was announced that the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston would sell two O'Keeffe paintings to fund future acquisitions. During the May auction at Christie's New York, Abiquiu Trees VII (1953) fetched $504,000 while A Sunflower from Maggie (1937) failed to sell.
The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe sold Jimson Weed/White Flower No. 1 (1932) at Sotheby's in May 2014. The $44.4 million it brought at auction is still a record for any female artist, and it was O'Keeffe's. Crystal Bridges Museum, founded by Walmart billionaire Alice Walton, purchased it.
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mauro-herlitzka-one-of-latin-america’s
Read the full article: http://tinyurl.com/msaj7jam
When did your fascination with art first blossom, and when did you commence your voyage as a collector of contemporary art?
My connection with the world of art appears to have been intrinsic since my earliest days. Growing up in a family of art enthusiasts, I was fortunate to have my natural appreciation for creativity nurtured. Initially, my collection journey centered on European Baroque art from the 17th century. However, my passion eventually guided me towards the art of Argentina and Latin America, created during my own lifetime. This transition marked a pivotal moment, unveiling an entirely new realm of exploration.
What serves as the predominant impetus behind your art collection?
My venture into collecting extends beyond mere acquisition and possession. To elaborate, by 1992 and 1993, I had reached a juncture where the act of accumulating artworks felt inadequate. Merely procuring and assembling pieces no longer resonated with me. At that turning point, I immersed myself in the realm of art institutions, igniting a profound interest in museums, cultural policies, and more. This period marked the genesis of Fundación Espigas, a documentation center dedicated to the history of visual arts in Argentina, which I founded.
Do you believe that your involvement in the local art scene has transformed you into more than just an art collector?
The transformation began to take shape towards the close of the 1980s, particularly in the United States. As a businessman, I comprehended the significance of generating value in the context of production, and I aspired to apply this principle to the cultural and artistic sphere.
What constitutes your primary focus when selecting artists to include in your collection?
My principal focus revolves around Latin American conceptual art from the 1960s and 1970s, as well as contemporary artists who continue to explore this creative lineage.
How do you perceive the landscape for conceptual art in Latin America?
Initially, it may not have garnered significant international recognition, but in recent years, it has steadily accrued both symbolic and market value. Prominent public and private art institutions have also started to embrace conceptual art.
Can you provide an approximate count of the artworks in your collection?
I have amassed a substantial number.
Have you ever contemplated sharing your art collection with the public?
I have not. For me, being a collector transcends the destination; it's about the journey and the manner in which one engages with the process. For instance, during my youth, I collected coins, and at the age of 28, I had the opportunity to exhibit my collection. However, for me, that chapter in my journey as a coin collector concluded once I put it on display. The same principle applies to my collection of Italian Baroque art.
Who within the art world inspires and influences you?
I draw inspiration from individuals who possess the capacity to create not only for personal fulfillment but also for the betterment of others. This includes museum owners, proactive collectors, and influential figures who have fostered a sense of community through art. To spotlight just one example among many, there is the remarkable Ruth Benzacar, the founder of a three-generation family gallery located in Buenos Aires.
What led to your association with the Henrique Faria Fine Art gallery?
My trajectory led me to explore the realm of art market valuation in 2004, following my involvement in museums, institutions, and committees. In a sense, a significant portion of art is viewed through the lens of the art market. The art market is transparent, straightforward, and offers a platform for me to convey clear messages and insights to the public. I am intrigued by the prospect of effecting change from within this narrower margin, and a gallery serves as an active participant in this endeavor.
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